[cfleisher]

I've been reading up on water chemistry and am preparing to do a fresh hop ale. I'd like to get the most bang for my buck and was wondering if it would be worth adding gypsum.

I've had my water tested, and here are a few stats:
hardness = 65
ph = 5.93
alkalinity = 36

My questions are this: Do I need to add gypsum, and if so, how much? Also, should I add it to the mash, or if I'm just looking to maximize hop extraction, should I throw it into the wort before boil?

I'm probably splitting hairs here, but any advice is welcome.

[tygo]

Gypsum is going to add calcium and sulfate to the beer.  You may not need it in the mash since that's a pretty low pH for the water but you could add it to the boil to enhance the perception of bitterness.  It won't increase the amount of the bitterness, just the flavor perception.